She is not an investigator.

"It looks like she lives here."

"?"

The caretaker also noticed Igris's strange expression, so she moved closer to her, leaned on her shoulder, and looked into the room.

The room was empty except for rubble and debris, and a huge mattress that looked absolutely uncomfortable to sleep on, as there was a huge dent in the middle of the mattress that even exposed the springs inside.

Of course, there was also an empty basket in the corner, with nothing inside.

Perhaps all the eggs were eaten, or taken away?

Anyway, Igris didn't see the eggshell, so it's highly likely that it was taken away, and the purpose of the relocation is quite obvious, since this place doesn't look like a suitable place to live anymore.

The walls covered in blood make it hard to imagine what happened here before. Perhaps a vampire suddenly exploded inside, or perhaps a great artist was preparing to paint a masterpiece on the wall but ran out of paint and simply bled to death.

Igris couldn't imagine what kind of condition could cause this entire wall to be covered in bloodstains, making it look like a painter's work.

"I guess this blood isn't from that vampire."

The administrator whispered thoughtfully in Igris's ear.

Igris stroked her chin, imagining how she could cover an entire wall with her own blood.

Ultimately, she came to a conclusion: she probably couldn't possibly lift herself up like a paintbrush and scribble on the wall.

Therefore, the first possibility is more likely.

For example, a vampire might self-destruct here.

"Do you think... it might be because vampires can't eat eggs...?"

Igris was seriously considering this question. After all, since she entered this industry, she had never heard of vampires receiving eggs from churches, let alone actually eating them.

Maybe God really did leave some blessing on it, causing the egg to explode the instant Hugh ate it.

Could it be... that a way to kill those vampires has been found?

"I don't think it has much to do with eggs. It's more like something broke down the door, barged in, and caused all this."

As the administrator spoke, she frowned, her expression becoming somewhat strange.

"In other words... if something broke in and tried to attack her, then that thing is very likely to be another hungry vampire, and very unlikely to be the sheriff. Judging from the damage to the door, the possibility of the sheriff is even smaller, so it is most likely a hungry vampire."

"Uh-huh."

Igris seemed somewhat absent-minded, and for some reason, her face was a little red, perhaps because of the overly close posture of the caretaker, or perhaps because she was still speaking almost right next to Igris's ear.

Regardless, her ears are still somewhat sensitive.

"So, based on the situation in the room, if the vampire was eaten by the vampire that broke in, then there would be a high probability that there would be bleeding of this scale, and the room would not be so clean. There would be some remains left behind, so we can rule out this possibility."

"That makes sense..."

"Then, according to another possibility, she dealt with that vampire, killed it in some way, and even left no trace of its body. But that would mean that her combat power must be stronger than its opponent's, or even much stronger. In other words, she had something to hide from you, whether it was her identity or her past."

"..."

"Thinking back to what she once said, that she was driven out of the lower city by the vampires simply because she couldn't hunt, there's nothing wrong with what she said. She couldn't hunt, but it wasn't because she lacked the fighting ability; rather, it was for some more specific reasons."

"call……"

"For example, she may have some psychological issues, but the fact that she attacks other vampires suggests that her issues probably don't lie in combat. So the answer is probably clearer... She can't hunt because she can't attack her prey. In fact, there's a high probability that she's a vampire who doesn't want to eat human flesh."

"Oh, I see..."

"This is definitely a very unusual existence in vampire society. This is probably why, despite her great strength, she was still driven out. Their society cannot tolerate such an abnormal individual, so she was forced to come to the upper city to seek a way out."

"Oh…"

"Are you even listening to me? What have you been yelling about since the beginning?"

The administrator finally lost her patience, grabbed Igris by the shoulder, and forced her to turn her head to face her.

Igris finally calmed down, and even though her face was flushed, she still stubbornly shook her head.

"No, it's nothing."

"...?"

Of course, the administrator was different from Igris. She wasn't a blockhead or an idiot, so when she saw the strange expression and emotions on Igris's face, she suddenly realized something and took a half step back with some disgust.

"I didn't expect you to react to me..."

"You were too close to me... My body is a little too sensitive, you know that, it's not my fault..."

Igris's voice grew softer and softer until she finally shut her mouth, crouching down on the ground in shame and burying her face in her hands.

Although the administrator did find it absurd, she did possess Igris's memories, so if she put herself in Igris's shoes, it didn't seem too outrageous.

After all, it can't really be said that it was Igris's fault; it's just that she wasn't paying enough attention to the distance.

…But why is she careful about maintaining distance?

"Alright, stop fooling around. We need to focus on business. I can help you sort it out tonight."

Upon hearing this, Igris jumped up from the ground and quickly retreated several steps, protecting herself with a wary expression.

Although she had nothing to protect, she still did it subconsciously.

"Thank you very much, but I don't need any help with that, really."

“I know your body better than you do. Come to think of it, I find it strange... Don’t you ever get aroused? Since you got this body, I’ve never even seen you do *that*. If my body didn’t also have feelings, I would have thought you were truly frigid.”

"No... I don't understand what you're saying... This topic is over."

The caretaker really thought that Igris should probably take a proper physiology class, at least that would allow her to truly confront her own body.

"Whatever, I'm not the one who's been holding it in all along."

A bizarre stage play—The City of Gluttonous Bloodthirsty Thugs: Chapter Seventeen, Born Among the Living

"Someone's coming."

The administrator suddenly interrupted Igris's attempt to say anything, quickly burrowing back into her body and disappearing.

In a place like this, if someone were to approach, the first thing the administrator would do is draw her weapon, not hide back inside Igris's body. So it's clear that the person approaching is unlikely to be in any danger.

It could also be because she didn't want others to discover her existence.

Just after she said those words, crisp footsteps echoed at the end of the road.

On this long street, a dark figure slowly approached Igris. His steps were heavy, whether from exhaustion or some other reason was unknown.

Igris recognized the man; he was the sheriff who had come here that night, and the person Igris was trying to avoid during this operation.

However, coincidentally, it seems to have already been discovered.

"...What are you doing here?"

He stopped in front of Igris, his expression not at ease.

Igris could smell the blood on him and see his right hand hanging down and trembling slightly.

Even though he was wearing black leather gloves, the bloodstains on them were still quite noticeable.

"Just taking a walk."

"It's not safe here, let's go for a walk somewhere else."

Igris knew, of course, that it wasn't safe here, and he knew that Igris knew it wasn't safe here.

"Of course, sir, but you are here too."

Igris never hid her scrutinizing gaze, and he seemed to know that he looked special enough that it would be difficult for him to hide anything.

In addition, Igris's identity is indeed different from that of ordinary people.

He took a deep breath, reached into his pocket, and pulled out an old pocket watch to take a look.

"In about half an hour, this street will no longer be exposed to sunlight. At that time, they will start foraging for food. What I need to do is, during this time, try my best to prevent anyone who wanders here from being attacked, just like you did last time."

"That sounds reasonable."

That makes perfect sense, but that's not what Igris really wanted to ask.

Have you ever been to the lower town?

That's what she really wanted to ask.

"..."

His expression changed; compared to his usual demeanor, it became more rigid, and his brows furrowed with a hint of melancholy.

"...They told you."

“I don’t know who you are talking about, but I want to go to the lower town. I would be very grateful if you could take me there.”

He didn't answer Igris immediately, but instead took out his weapon, checked the remaining crossbow bolts, and then shook his head.

"You should know the situation there, so I don't recommend you go. I don't have the resources to protect you."

“Protection… Of course, after all, I do look quite pitiful, but I’m not actually that fragile. I don’t mind if you learn more about my file… I know you have it.”

Igris winked mischievously, displaying the cuteness and energy befitting her age.

Although most people who know her would give her a strange look.

"...Like most cities, the entrance to the lower town is in a dark alley. The specific direction is at the corner at the end of this road. Just turn right. It's more conspicuous than you can imagine."

After speaking, he paused for a moment, then said hesitantly.

“If you really intend to go, I have already warned you just how dangerous it is there, so I won’t repeat myself. But… if you are confident that you can get out of there, could you keep an eye out for… a girl named Hugh?”

"…stop?"

Seeing Igris's puzzled look, he rubbed his cheeks with a hint of disappointment and handed a photograph to Igris.

“She’s my sister… She got lost in the city a long time ago due to some accident, but she should still be alive… So, if you have any leads…”

Igris took the photo. The photo was somewhat distorted and probably quite old. In the photo was a blonde girl who looked about sixteen or seventeen years old, smiling happily.

But it's very unfamiliar.

"Of course, I will be careful."

Igris also knew a girl named Hugh, but the two looked very different. Although they were both blonde, their figures and appearances were quite different.

And most importantly, the Hugh that Igris knew couldn't possibly be his sister, because she was a vampire, a real vampire.